In Moldova, it is planned to increase the number of beneficiaries of vouchers for household electrical appliances issued under the EcoVoucher program.
This was discussed in Parliament, where at a meeting of the Environment, Climate and Green Transition Commission the Report on the implementation of a pilot program for issuing vouchers for household appliances - EcoVoucher - was heard. Deputies, representatives of the Ministry of Energy and the National Center for Sustainable Energy took part in the hearings. The EcoVoucher pilot program was launched in October 2023 with the goal of reducing household energy consumption and costs. Vouchers provide the opportunity to replace old energy-intensive appliances with new, energy-efficient ones. The beneficiaries of the vouchers are consumers registered in the Energy Vulnerability information system, automatically selected according to a set of criteria applicable to the most vulnerable categories. According to information provided by representatives of the Ministry of Energy, out of a total of 778,801 households that applied for compensation in 2023, 445,982 households chose to use EcoVoucheres. The program provides for the provision of about 56 thousand vouchers to individuals, which can be used to purchase new electrical household equipment by returning the old one and paying a personal contribution. Voucher financing cannot exceed 70% of the cost of electrical or electronic equipment. The cost of a voucher for household appliances is 12 thousand lei, and the cost of a voucher for LED lamps is 500 lei. To date, out of the planned 56 thousand vouchers, of which about 50 thousand vouchers for LED lamps and about 6000 for household appliances, 36,654 vouchers have been used. The development of a pilot program for issuing vouchers for household appliances was made possible thanks to funding from the European Union within the framework of the project “Eliminating the consequences of the energy crisis in Moldova”, implemented by UNDP Moldova. The European Union allocated $5.8 million for the project, which was spent by 76%. The financial resources necessary for the implementation of the program for 2025-2026 will be allocated from the state budget and with the support of development partners. Hearing participants will continue to monitor the implementation of the EcoVoucher program. At the next round of hearings, representatives of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection will be invited to discuss the possibility of expanding the number of beneficiaries of the EcoVoucher program. // 24.04.2024 — InfoMarket.
